The Foundation
Who we are
Many miles
Sailing towards a bluer future. Many nautical miles have been traveled in the 17 years of the Foundation’s life: the celebration of three editions of the Barcelona World Race, educational projects, the construction of our own boats, etc. It is a good time to review our crossing and all the miles that have yet to travel, aboard sustainability and innovation, towards a bluer future.
The foundation was created in 2005 as the Fundació Navegació Oceànica de Barcelona (FNOB) with the aim of promoting sailing. Now, almost 20 years later, we are transforming ourselves to cover more axes of activity to turn Barcelona and Catalonia into nautical references, through the promotion of sailing, sport, sustainability, training, the blue economy and the culture of the sea.
What we do




Our history
→ Fundació Navegació Oceànica.
Objective: To promote competitive ocean sailing.
Trustees: Barcelona City Council, Port of Barcelona, Fira de Barcelona and Barcelona Chamber of Commerce
→ Inauguration of the Ocean Base, a facility aimed at offering the technical infrastructures necessary for competitive ocean sailing
→ 1st edition of the Barcelona World Race
→ Start of educational follow-up projects
→ Organization of the Istanbul Europa Race
→ 2nd edition of the Barcelona World Race
→ Organization of the Record New York Barcelona regatta
→ Organisation of the Vuelta a España regatta
→ Incorporation of the IMOCA School
→ Organisation of the WARM’UP Europa regatta
→ 3rd edition of the Barcelona World Race
→ 2nd edition of Record New York – Barcelona
→ Xosé Carlos Fernández, appointed new director of the Foundation
→ Start of permanent collaboration between the Institut de Nàutica de Barcelona and the FNOB, for training in boat maintenance
→ Organisation of the follow-up educational project of the Vendée Globe
→ The Mini Base lands at the FNOB Ocean Base
→ 2nd edition of the follow-up educational project of the Vendée Globe
→ Start ofconstruction of La Nona
→ Creation of the Mini Transat 21 educational project “22 days in 22 feet“
→ Completion of the construction of La Nona
Fleet and spaces
We are located in an exceptional environment, located in the middle of the Moll de Llevant of the Port of Barcelona, at the end of Paseo Joan de Borbó, continuation of the fishing district of La Barceloneta.
We have two emblematic boats, which have participated (and are participating!) in many regattas.


Mirabaud
The Mirabaud is a 60-foot IMOCA built in La Rochelle in 1990. He has participated in several regattas, including three Routes du Rhum, a Vendée Globe and the 2010 edition of the Barcelona World Race. It is currently used as a school ship of the Foundation and has participated in numerous regattas as a follow-up boat.
Charisma
The Charisma is a 17.40-meter long sloop designed by Sparkman & Stephens, built in the United States and launched in 1970. He arrived in Barcelona in 2012, after five years participating in the great regattas of the planet, where his owner donated it to Barcelona Nautical Capital (formerly FNOB). With the Charisma they have sailed sailors that have sailed more than 20 round-the-world trips.
